Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson set for monstrous show in Reading

Long recognized as the Godfather of Shock Rock, Alice Cooper, aka Vincent Furnier, is celebrating his sixth decade as one of music’s most frighteningly elaborate showmen.

An iconic figure of the 1970s, Cooper paved the way for some of the most original and controversial artists to follow. It is only fitting that Cooper is about to embark on a concert tour with the ever-unpredictable Marilyn Manson.

“It is inevitable that we would have done a tour together,” says Cooper. “People are finally starting to get the idea that we are the new monsters. Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson—we’re like Frankenstein and the Werewolf. Putting us together makes a lot of sense. The shows are really, really good. They don’t collide with each other. They complement each other.

“With Alice Cooper, you’re going to get a lot of theatrics,” added Cooper. “We do all of the hits. I think I have maybe the best touring band I’ve had in my life right now. Musically, it’s just alarmingly good. If you are there to hear the hits, we do them exactly like the record.

“You’re going to get a lot of really good music. We feature the music and let the theatrics just happen. I keep reminding these guys that I’m still the oldest vampire, so they have to respect me, and I’m the most dangerous one .”

Gravitating toward a musical career in his teen years, Cooper formed his first band, the Spiders, and then relocated to Los Angeles. Often cited by music critics as L.A.’s worst band, the Spiders caught the attention of Frank Zappa, who signed them to a record deal. A name change to Alice Cooper by 1969 set the table for unimaginable commercial success.

Soon after signing with Warner Brothers Records, the band’s “Love It to Death” album catapulted it into the mainstream. Subsequent hit albums included “Killer” (1972), “School’s Out” (1972), “Billion Dollar Babies” (1973) and “Muscle of Love” (1974).

Cooper’s onstage antics, ranging from “murdering” infant dolls to the excessive use of stage blood, became the stuff of rock legend, thrilling young fans and horrifying their parents.

During this time, Cooper parted ways with the band Alice Cooper, while keeping the name. The rest of the band formed the Billion Dollar Babies.

By the ’80s, Cooper’s career took a downturn with moderately successful album releases. Cooper managed to close out the decade with the hit album “Trash” (1989).

Appearances in the hit film “Wayne’s World” (1992) and “The Last Temptation” (1994) reintroduced Alice Cooper to a new generation of fans and gave him renewed access to mainstream audiences.

While Cooper has been unable to sustain the level of popularity that he enjoyed earlier in his career, he has remained busier than ever over the past two decades. The band released a number of studio albums as well as a live concert DVD while touring relentlessly to an audience that remains loyal.

A devout born-again Christian and a longtime proponent of sobriety, Cooper, with all of his commercial success, recognizes what matters most.

“I’ve been married 37 years,” says Cooper. “I’ve got three great kids and never cheated on my wife. I would say my family is my greatest achievement.”

In recent years, Cooper’s accomplishments have seen him honored with a star on Hollywood’s celebrated “Walk of Fame” (2003), a Classic Rock’n’Roll “Living Legend Award” (2006) and, most notably, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2011).

“You don’t get this until you’ve stayed around and had the longevity,” says Cooper. “When you consider a classic rock band that started in the ’60s, the fact that we’re still here is a tribute to the songs. You can be as theatrical as you want to be, but if you don’t have those hits, you’re not going to be around for 45 or 50 years.”

“The career is something that I’ve worked hard at so I never let people down. If they’re going to come see Alice Cooper, I always make sure they never see a show that they don’t talk about the next day. To this day, it’s an all-out Alice Cooper event. People will walk away saying, ‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting that.’”